Soap stories and toilet tales

The stories are a small selection of highlights from more than 80 countries that celebrate Global Handwashing Day. They represent the myriad activities undertaken by UNICEF and partners to spread the message that “clean hands save lives” and to raise the profile of handwashing with soap – an important behaviour for promoting the health and development of all children. In 2008, Global Handwashing Day was celebrated during the International Year of Sanitation declared by the United Nations General Assembly. Global Handwashing Day celebrations following its inaugural year demonstrate expanded creativity, engagement and energy, and hold tremendous promise for future events. Global Handwashing Day has resulted in handwashing world records; new messages and ways of conveying the importance of handwashing with soap; additional country and community participation; and, most importantly, a whole lot of handwashing. The H1N1 global pandemic added urgency to Global Handwashing Day in many countries, resulting in even broader impact. Global Handwashing Day events have raised awareness of handwashing with soap as a legacy for children – the world’s future leaders – as well as their families and their communities. Global Handwashing Day is more than just a day, and handwashing with soap should be a healthy behaviour for a lifetime. The message, the campaign and the tremendous impact of handwashing with soap are poised to inspire new waves of national consciousness and action. The celebrations described in this report demonstrate just a few of the ways to make handwashing fun and plant the seeds of lifelong behaviour change. We’ve gathered these stories from countless accomplishments, in more than 80 countries, and hope they inspire future campaigns. As we celebrate the success of Global Handwashing Day around the world, we call for renewed commitment to spreading the word on handwashing with soap. To 15 October and beyond – happy handwashing! [authors abstract]